Nair's triple ton gives selectors headache

An unbeaten triple century by a young batsman would normally ensure an extended run in the side, but Karun Nair may not get the same latitude when Steve Smith's Australia come calling in February.

A day after his Karnataka teammate and close friend Lokesh Rahul fell agonisingly on 199, Nair showed rare temperament and class in only his third Test to score 303 not out.

His monumental innings lifted India to their highest Test total of 7-759 and left a battered England with a mountain to climb to save the fifth and final Test in Chennai and prevent an embarrassing 4-0 scoreline.

Having conceded a lead of 282 runs despite making 477 in the first innings, England will start the last day of their disappointing tour on 0-12 and needing to bat out 90 overs on a benign pitch where just 17 wickets have fallen over the first four days.

Nair, who turned 25 earlier this month, joined Virender Sehwag as the only triple centurions for India, the latter having done it twice against Pakistan and South Africa.

Sehwag was one of the first to offer his congratulations on Twitter.

Quick Single: Nair joins elite duo

“Yay ! Welcome to the 300 club @karun126,” he wrote.

“It was very lonely here for the last 12 years 8 months. Wish you the very best Karun. Maza aa gaya! (enjoyed it immensely)”

Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined in the celebrations.

“Congratulations on the historic triple century @karun126! We all are delighted & proud of your remarkable feat,” he tweeted.

But when the monumental feat sinks in, Nair will be chastened by the thought that he may not be guaranteed a place for the four-Test home series against Australia which follows a one-off Test against Bangladesh in February.

Nair made his debut in the third Test in Mohali only because Rahul suffered a forearm injury at training, and was then picked for the fourth match in Mumbai after vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane broke a thumb during a match-eve net session.

Nair, who scored four in Mohali and 13 in Mumbai, knew he had to come good in Chennai to retain his place at least for the Bangladesh Test.

With Rahane and Rohit Sharma expected to be fit by the time the Aussies land and another Karnataka lad Manish Pandey waiting in the wings, the selectors have plenty to ponder over the abundance of riches at their disposal.

If any proof was needed of the depth in Indian batting, it came in Chennai when the hosts racked up a record total despite the in-form trio of Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara and Murali Vijay contributing just 60 runs.

Nair, who in July was rescued from drowning when a boat he was travelling in capsized in a river in Kerala, clearly knows how to ride his luck.

"This is the most amazing moment of my career and I hope I can just go on," he said, admitting he was wary of the kind of lapse in concentration that cost Rahul his double-century on Sunday.

Asked to describe his state of mind when he approached each of his three hundreds, Nair said: "There were obviously some nerves, but one can't get too negative. One just has to watch the ball and get over the moment.

"A 300 was never on my mind because once I crossed 250, the team management had certain plans to go after the bowling before declaring.

"Within the space of five overs I got to 285 and that is the time I thought of getting to 300. The idea was to make hay while the sun shone."

Nair said an India victory was still possible despite the wicket providing little help to the bowlers.

"The pitch has been good all four days, but it is slowly deteriorating because of the footmarks," he said. "We will just have to bowl well and get the wickets.

"Good bowling will get you wickets on any kind of wicket."

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